Gimbaled Camera Object Tracking via Vehicle Motion Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated camera tracking systems for unmanned vehicles are often complex, expensive, and ineffective, requiring experienced operators to manually control both the vehicle and camera, especially in high-stress situations, and typically need additional sensors for object tracking.
Innovation Solution
A system that automatically controls a gimbaled camera by using sensors to monitor pan and tilt orientations and vehicle movement, establishing a target position through object-independent associations, and adjusting the camera's pan and tilt to maintain focus on the target without requiring additional sensors or specialized equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automated camera tracking systems are implemented, then object tracking capability is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the vehicle's existing sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, GPS) to automatically track objects without requiring additional specialized sensors. The camera system serves itself by utilizing data already collected by the vehicle's navigation and stabilization systems, eliminating the need for separate tracking sensors and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the vehicle's existing sensors serve multiple functions: they provide both vehicle navigation data and camera tracking data. The accelerometers and gyroscopes used for vehicle stabilization also provide the motion compensation needed for automatic camera tracking, allowing one set of sensors to perform multiple roles and reducing system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If additional sensors are added for object tracking, then tracking precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves precise tracking by having the vehicle's existing sensors monitor and report their own state data. The accelerometers, gyroscopes, and GPS already present in the vehicle provide the motion data needed for tracking, requiring no additional sensing components while maintaining high precision through proper data processing and motion compensation algorithms.
3Device complexity
If manual control of vehicle and camera is required, then system simplicity is maintained, but operator workload and stress increase
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system automatically compensates for vehicle motion using data from the vehicle's own sensors, making the tracking function self-regulating. This automation reduces the operator's workload from manually coordinating both vehicle and camera control to simply observing and occasionally intervening, significantly easing operation during high-stress situations.
4Reliability
If environmental changes are minimized in impact, then tracking reliability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors vehicle motion through accelerometers and gyroscopes, using this feedback to dynamically adjust camera positioning in real-time. This closed-loop feedback mechanism compensates for environmental disturbances such as vehicle movement, vibrations, and position changes, maintaining reliable tracking without requiring complex predictive models or additional sensors.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for automatically controlling a gimbaled camera system of a vehicle. The system includes a camera positioned relative to a body of the vehicle and one or more sensors configured to sense the pointing direction of the camera. One or more sensors are configured to monitor movement of the vehicle relative to a surface. A processor is configured to receive the sensed camera pointing direction data and vehicle movement data. The processor establishes and stores a target position representative of the position of a target object relative to the vehicle body based on an object independent association and automatically adjusts the camera pointing direction in response to the vehicle movement data such that the camera remains aimed on the target position. A method for automatically controlling the gimbaled camera system is also provided.